From the time Laveda returned home on that wonderful Monday afternoon until that very Wednesday morning, she had been cleaning.  Her sister, Sophie, and the bar’s owner, among others, could not imagine what had gotten into her.  Nor did she waste time to give explanations.  She wanted to have everything in her room cleaned before she bathed herself.  She felt there was no sense in cleaning up if she were just going to lie back down upon a filthy bed.  Therefore, Monday after splitting her money into two separate purses, hiding one beneath the floorboards, and the other under a piece of furniture, she ripped all the sheets and blankets from her bed.  She then, took her meager bug infested mattress to her balcony and beat it over the ledge.  Doing so in such a manner, released many roaches, spiders and other creepy-crawlies which had been living inside.  Leaving the mattress on the balcony, she began to collect and get rid of the trash in the room. 

Sophie, her poor sister, was lying in the corner of the room on the filthy blankets where Laveda had placed her.  She wasn’t quite sure who or what had lit a fire beneath her sister’s petticoats but was afraid what it might mean.  Laveda hadn’t taken to cleaning in at least two years, and Sophie began to wonder if her elder sister was doing so now in order invite clients to their room. 

The first day, Sophie didn’t say a word.  She merely lay on the blankets and watched as her sister swept, dusted, and threw things away.  The next day appeared to be laundry day, and Laveda finally woke Sophie, so she could retrieve the blankets.  She told Sophie she was sorry, but the blankets, like everything else, needed a good washing.  When Sophie awakened, she looked about the room in amazement.  Laveda, had cleaned every cobweb, removed all the trash and washed the few dishes they owned, two small cups, a chipped bowl and an old plate.  Laveda had placed their mattress back on the wooden slats where it belonged and then lifted Sophie to the bed to get to the blankets.  When Sophie finally asked her what she was doing, Laveda merely responded that she was cleaning.  Then, she grabbed the blankets and left the room for at least an hour.  When she returned, she was carrying three, dripping wet, tattered blankets.  They smelled of something very sweet, but not too unpleasant.  Laveda walked passed the bed to the balcony and heaved the blankets over the banister.  Afterward, she went into a brown bag, took out a roll and handed it to Sophie; apologizing for not having fed her sooner.  She then grabbed what little clothes they owned, a different brown bag, and headed back out.

After all was done late Tuesday afternoon, Laveda finally took a rest.  She and her sister were still dingy, but at least all the blankets and clothes were clean and nearly dry.  Then just as Laveda was about to crash on the bed next to her sister, there was a knock at the door.  Laveda jumped up to see who it was while Sophie sat listening.  Apparently, Laveda had received a letter and Swinfen, the barkeep/owner, didn’t seem too happy about it; telling her she needed to get to work instead of waiting ‘round for love letters.  After a few ‘yes sirs’ and a promise to have the rent at the end of the week, Laveda shut the door.  Sophie watched intently as her sister franticly opened the letter and smiled as she read it.  Sophie couldn’t take the suspense any longer.  Whatever was happening to her sister affected her as well, and she demanded to know what was going on.

“Laveda, I understand I often look like a piece of furniture, but I am not. Please, tell me what has happened. Why are you suddenly behaving this way?” 

Remembering her promise to Andrew, Laveda dodged her sister’s question.  “Aren’t you tired of the filth? I know I am.”  But when Sophie, crossed her arms and raised her brow, Laveda knew she had to let her little sister in on her secret.  She and Sophie only had one another, and if she couldn’t trust her sister, she really had no one. Sighing heavily, she picked Sophie up and moved her to the center of the room.  The walls of Swinfen’s were thin, and she couldn’t risk being overheard.  Finally, in the voice of a field mouse, she told her sweet sister all about the handsome young man she’d met at the docks and how he promised to take care of her as long as she did a few simple tasks.

  Sophie could tell her elder sister was completely smitten with the generous stranger and hoped, for Laveda’s sake, the man had no hidden agenda.     

Wednesday morning was now upon them, and Laveda had made a deal with Tyra, another prostitute, the only one with a wide enough barrel for bathing.  The deal was, Laveda would do all Tyra’s laundry, and in turn, she could use Tyra’s tub for an entire day.  The first one to bathe was Sophie.  Laveda handed the girl the bar of beige soap and told her to wash herself as she used a large bowl she had borrowed to clean her sister’s hair.  After Sophie was all cleaned up, Laveda told her to relax in the water as she combed the tangles from her hair.  Then, she dried her sister off with one of the lighter blankets and carried her back to their room.  Once there, she dressed Sophie, and rubbed some of the lemon rinse through her dark hair.  While Sophie napped, Laveda hung the wet blanket over the banister of the balcony and went out to take her bath.

It took her forever to change the water in the tub, but now that she was relaxing her weary body, she felt it was all worth it.  Laveda took her time cleaning up; ensuring she covered every inch of her body.  She wanted to be as close to perfection as she could be before heading to the docks to speak with Andrew.  She knew, of course, she had promised to stay away, but surely Andrew only meant for her to stay away from what she used to do while there.  The thought of seeing him again brought a flutter to her stomach and soon she found she couldn’t wait.  Feeling she was as clean as she was going to get, she began to work on her hair.  As she cleaned, she ran the comb through it, only to discover how matted her hair had become. Dismayed and upset, she realized, due to the knots, she was going to have to cut her hair by at least three inches.  Suds dripping from her matted locks, she jumped out of the tub, dried off and found a pair of scissors on a stand by Tyra’s bed.  Quickly, she cut out her naps and made her hair even.  She then rinsed her hair in the fresh cool water she had placed in the large bowl before beginning to bathe.  Afterwards, she dumped the used tub water out over the balcony, put the lemon rinse in her hair, refilled the tub to clean Tyra’s clothes, cleaned them, again tossed the water and hung Tyra’s things over her balcony.  Then with a big smile, she wrapped her naked body in her blanket and ran to her room to rinse her sister’s hair and get dressed.

 Anne finished her duties in record time; she wanted to clean herself up a bit before joining the captain in his cabin. Best foot forward, she thought to herself. She was already quite nervous about this little meeting and didn’t want the added worry of whether she was presentable or not.  Therefore, she washed her face and re-braiding her hair into an acceptably masculine rope, and upon arrival, Anne gave the door to Captain Doran’s private cabin a firm rapping.  When her knock was met with a low ‘come in,’ she entered. 

Captain Doran was sitting at the head, if there was a head, of a square wooden table. He was drinking something and reading a newspaper.  Without looking up, he put his mug down in order to motion her to sit at his left.  “Andrew, what think you of the royals,” he asked through the paper.

“The royals, sir,” Anne asked, completely thrown off by the question.

“Yes, the royals,” Doran now folded his paper and looked unwavering upon his companion.

Anne, not knowing what had brought this about, waded into the conversation.  “Well, Captain, I believe the royals are merely people like the rest of us.” She paused, thinking of what else to say.  “They have duties, instincts, and desires like everyone else.  I think the only difference between the average person and a royal, besides the obvious monetary status, is that the average person is likely to make more of his own decisions.”

Intrigued, the captain continued the conversation.  “Really?  So, you believe a royal is a slave to his or her counsel.”

“That depends on the royal, sir.”  Anne was beginning to fidget.  “Do you mind if I make an example?”  When the captain nodded, she continued.  “The way I see it, sir, is most of the older royals were slaves to their counsels.  They did not much care for the intricacies of running a country and left such business to others.  However, I feel those times are behind us.  The new royals, Prince Nolan and Princess Orianna-Loni are strong-willed.  They speak their minds and do what society says they shouldn’t.”  Then she paused again.  The captain sat thoughtfully in the silent moment.  Wonderingly, Anne broke that silence, “Captain, what is the reason for this conversation?”

Doran tossed the newspaper on the table and leaned back into his chair, folding his hands before him and giving Andrew his full attention before speaking.  “My dear boy, I often enjoy speaking of the news early in the morning.  If you look on the first page of this paper,” he tossed it to Andrew, “you will see the royals have been asked to help the de Ranger family find their daughter.  It appears the child has run off and her sister is pleading for her safe return.  When you entered, I was just asking myself if I truly believed the royals would help the family.”

“I understand the news, whatever it may be, can be of interest.  But how does this particular story affect a ship’s captain,” Anne was feeling a bit nervous and began to hope the captain would not discover she was, in fact, Philana-Narie.  Then again, how could he? She was sure she would have remembered him had they met before.

Placing his hands on the table the captain began to rise, “You’re correct.  It does not concern a ship’s captain.  However, I have met the de Ranger family on several occasions and have always known them to be extremely happy.  It is a pity to hear they must endure such sorrow now, and I pray the royal family lends some assistance.”

Surprised, Anne had to know how the captain knew her family and if they had met. She couldn’t imagine they had, but what if? “They are titled, are they not? How came you to meet them, and when you made the family’s acquaintance, did you happen to meet Miss de Ranger?” 

“They are minorly titled, and I am a gentleman; I know many people. As for their daughter…” he trailed off for a moment, making Anne feel oddly warm and nervous. “Philana-Narie.  Anne, as many call her,” he smiled, and she warmed further at the mention of her name.  She cast her eyes down until the heat passed.  “Not really.  As I recall, she was a mischievous and energetic wisp of a girl, always running about the manor.  I did happen to spy her and her younger sister once as I was departing on one fine afternoon.  Apparently, Anne had fallen and hurt her leg; Ethana was helping her into the house.  I remember,” he chuckled. “Despite her injury, Anne was laughing.” Deep in memory he smiled again.  “Two very pretty girls as I recollect.  Thaniel and Reyna, their parents, are blessed to have such beautiful children.”  Then strolling to a nearby cart, the captain gently lifted a teapot and poured some tea for Andrew.  “Now,” he handed the boy the teacup, “let us discuss the reason you are here.”  The captain sat back down as he answered a rapping at the door.  Neville, the captain’s little helper, had just arrived to serve breakfast.